Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Native American Caucus reviews taxation and gaming in first meeting

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Members of the Native American Caucus recently met for the first time
this year and discussed taxation and gaming in Arizona. The meeting was well
attended.

“It is
refreshing t

o see an increase in the number of legislators who attended the
first meeting of the Native American Caucus. The caucus continues to
serve as a forum to educate legislators concerning Indian Nations, what is
happening to Indian people in Indian Nations, and how the state can help,” Rep.
Albert Hale, D-St. Michaels (District 7), said.

Rep. Victoria
Steele, D-Tucson (District 9), agreed.

“The
Native American Caucus is essential to informing our colleagues in the
Legislature about current issues and historical concerns important to the 22
Native American Tribes and Nations in Arizona. The sales tax and gaming subjects
were very educational to many legislators in attendance,” she said.

“The
first Native American Caucus meeting of the session was a total success. One of
the caucus’ most important roles is to engage our colleagues here at the
Capitol on the issues facing the indigenous peoples of Arizona and educate them
on the contributions these indigenous people make to the state. We have many
new members this session, and it is important for them to know how state laws
affect each and every Tribe or Nation,” Gonzales said.

At the meeting, Valerie Spicer, executive
director of the Arizona Indian Gaming Association, told the caucus that tribal
gaming has created more than 15,000 jobs and has an economic impact of more
than a billion dollars since 2002.

Elaine Smith, a senior economist for the
Arizona Department of Revenue, also presented at the meeting. She shared information
on the collection and distribution of sales tax in the state. In 2014, Indian
Nations collected about $45.6 million in sales tax revenues. This money goes to
the state’s general fund but Indian Nations only received about $2.6 million of
general fund support from the state for Dine College and Navajo Technical
College.

“Today’s discussion
of the revenues generated on Indian Nations hopefully opened the eyes of the
legislators that Indian people do pay state taxes yet very, very little of the
revenue is returned to Indian Nations. I am hopeful that eventually the
legislators will correct this inequity, an inequity that perpetuates
colonialism concerning Indian people,” Hale said.